Ana Mendieta and Andy Warhol are two influential artists that contributed to the art industry. Their artworks captivated many people and inspired other artists to use their ideas to create more artwork. The two artists were able to magnify their artwork through their themes. A example of Andy Warhol's theme in his artwork starts off with one of his most famous creations, A picture of Campbell's soup. "but Warhol soon found his muse in Campbell's soup cans, an everyday object that epitomized mundane American life. Warhol's repetitive imagery of the soup cans and other common objects blurred the line between art, advertisement, meaning and emptiness."(Roos). Andy Warhol's theme in his artwork was taking the average everyday objects, logos, and ideas and giving them a greater excitement. Warhol's emphasized the words "pop art" when it came to the basis of his artwork. Ana Mendieta’s theme differed from Andy Warhol’s when it came to her artwork. Ana Mendieta had her unique style of art, she used performance art, feminist art, body art and earth art as her style of art. An example of one of her memorable art works is named Untitled(rape scene). This artwork represents the rape and murder of a student attending the same university as Ana. Her theme her was feminism, she was trying to show the vulgar and life threats a lot of women were facing in that time. The way I analyze it, she was a voice to many that didn’t want to speak up. Andy Warhol and Mendieta created great art that influenced many but it’s important to know what influenced the two. Andy Warhol, at a young age he developed a intense neurological disease that affected his movements. While in the hospital recovering from this disease, his mother gave him drawing lessons as a way to keep entertained, he begun to fall in love with the act of drawing. “he continued to draw in his spare time upon regaining his health. In 1942, Warhol enrolled at Schenley High School, and after graduating in 1945, he studied Commercial Art at the Carnegie Institute for Technology – now Carnegie Mellon University. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Pictorial Design in 1949.”(Brown) Andy Warhol and his exposure to the art world during his time in school is what influenced him to lead into pop art. Andy Warhol landed his first job working for a magazine company, magazines have a lot of advertisements. After leaving the magazine company he took what he learned in commercial brands and celebrity names to be used in his own art work. Andy Warhol influences were brought to be shown in his self portraits. He imagined himself to be style of art he created, he self art would consist of many colors, pictures, and vibrancy. Warhols self portrait had the similar feel of advertisements. Ana Mendieta was young when she was sent to the United States. She was in a refugee camp with her sister before reuniting with her mother and family. After her reconnection, she attended school where she begun learning about art and and a few artists that inspired her to create art.”She found an affinity with the work of Vito Acconci, Lynda Benglis, Chris Burden, Bruce Nauman, Robert Smithson, and Carolee Schneeman, as well as the work of the Viennese Actionists and the Fluxus group. She quickly developed a prolific practice in which her body, the earth, and other organic materials such as blood, fire, feathers, and wood served as the subject of photographs, slides, films, and videos, as well as performances, prints, and artist's books. In 1973 Mendieta traveled with her MFA class to Mexico, where she began her Silueta (Silhouette)” (guggenheim) In the Art Of Self Invention on page 22 it quotes”Like any art form, film, amalgamates fantasy with convincing detail and in so doing makes itself a credible reflection of its context” (Finklestein).The artists Ana studied gave an impression on her, her subjects of these inspirations would be visible in all her works.Ana’s self portraits would be numerous artworks that consisted of her influences. For example, her artwork “Untitled(Self portrait with blood) she uses her commonly used naturistic element. She has blood covering her face. That concept was symbolic to her, her influences and then her artwork. “For Nitsch, such actions provide the possibility for a form of spiritual redemption through the powerful visceral and emotional experience of the contact with blood and later, the slaughter and disembowelling of animals. In 1980, Mendieta commented that she ‘started immediately using blood, I guess, because I think it’s a very powerful magic thing. I don’t see it as a negative force”(quoted in Fisher, p.86). Andy Warhol and Ana Mendieta both have major influences in todays culture. Warhol still inspires pop culture and commercial, Ana Mendieta inspires body performance art and politics. The two of their legacies will forever mark the art world.
Work Cited
“Ana Mendieta Artworks & Famous Art.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist/mendieta-ana/artworks/.
Brown, Emily. “Andy Warhol And His Artistic Influence.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 6 Sept. 2016, theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/andy-warhol-and-his-artistic-influence/.
Guggenheim, www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/ana-mendieta.
'Untitled (Self-Portrait with Blood)', Ana Mendieta, 1973
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